Dinner-pail.



J. B. TUTTLE.

DINNER PAIL. APPLIOATI'ON FILED Mo. 26, 1911.

1,024,231 Patented Apr. 23, 1912.

@NHB STATES AEN a; FEQE.

JOSEPH B. TUTTLE, OF ASHEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF 'IO ROBERT P. ROBINSON, OF ASI-IEVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA.

DINNER-PAIL.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH B. TUTTLE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Asheville, in the county of Buncombe and State of North Carolina, have invented a new and useful Dinner-Pail, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention aims to provide a dinner pail having a plurality of receptacles which may be swung horizontally, thus to give access to the pail, means being provided for maintaining the receptacles vertically alined, and against vertical displacement.

A further object of the invention is to provide a dinner pail having a separate compartment in which knives, forks and like articles may be placed, the receptacles which go to make up the dinner pail being provided with fingers adapted to enter the tube, for the double purpose of maintaining the receptacles alined, and for engagement with such articles, whereby the same, cooperating with the fingers, will prevent a lateral displacement of the receptacles with respect to each other.

A further object of the invention is to improve generally, devices of that type to which the present invention appertains, and to provide novel means for movably assembling the constituent elements of a dinner pail of the sort herein disclosed.

With the foregoing and other objects in view, which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of invention herein disclosed can be made within the scope of what is claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings,Figure 1 shows the invention in side elevation; Fig. 2 is a vertical longitudinal section; Fig. 3 is a top plan; Fig. 4 is a fragmental section upon the line 44 of Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of one end of one of the intermediate receptacles.

In carrying out the invention there is provided a lower receptacle 1, an intermediate receptacle 2, another intermediate receptacle 3, superposed upon the receptacle 2, and a fiat top 4, which is superposed upon the intermediate receptacle 3. The recep- Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed December 26, 1911.

Patented Apr. 23, 1912. Serial No. 667,640.

tacles 1, 2 and 3 are open at their tops only. Secured to one end of the lower receptacle 1 is a socket 5, in which is secured an upstanding rod 6, adapted to be received in bearings 7, secured to the ends of the intermediate receptacles 2 and 3, the upper end of the rod 6 passing through a bearing 7 formed at one end of the top'4. The upper end of the rod 6 may be threaded, as shown at 9, to receive a wing nut 10, the wing nut 10 being adapted to engage the top 4, to pre vent a vertical displacement of the several constituent elements of the dinner pail hereinbefore described. That end of the lower receptacle 1 which is remote from the socket 6, is provided with another socket 11, in which is received and securely held, the lower end of a tube 12, the tube 12 extending across the ends of the intermediate receptacles 2 and 3, and passing through an open ing 14 in the top 4. Removable means is provided whereby the tube 12 is connected with the top 4, this means preferably taking the form of a set screw 15 which is threaded into the tube 12, above the top 4. Upon the upper end of the tube 12 may be placed a removable closure cap 16. Although the element 12 has been described as a tube, it is to be understood that the member 12 may be of any desired construction, adapted to exercise the functions hereinafter attributed to this element 12. In one side of the tube 12 there is a slot 17 through which is adapted to pass a finger 18, fixed to and outstanding from, one end of the intermediate receptacle 3. In the opposite wall of the tube 12 there is another slot 19, through which is adapted to pass a finger 20, protruding from one end of the intermediate receptacle 2. As clearly shown in Fig. 4, and as there indicated by the reference character 21, the finger 18 is adapted to abut against the tube 12, adjacent one end of the slot 7. It will be readily understood from the foregoing, that the finger 20 abuts in a similar manner against the tube 12, adjacent the end of the slot 18. The fingers 18 and 20 thus cooperate with the tube 12 maintaining the receptacles 2 and 3 alined with the receptacle 1 and with the top 4.

The fingers l8 and 20 are preferably curved in outline, and as shown in Fig. 4, they extend across the interior of the tube 12. When the fingers are positioned as shown in Fig. 4, within the tube 12, an article, such as a fork 22, may be inserted between the finger 20 and the wall of the tube 12. Likewise, a knife 28 or the like, may be inserted into the tube 12, between the finger 18 and the side wall of the tube. Furthermore, if desired, a spoon or other article, shown at 24:, may be inserted be tween the diverging fingers 20 and 18, upon the one hand, and the side wall of the tube 12 upon the other hand. It may be noted that the fork 2 will prevent the finger 18 from swinging laterally out of the tube 12, through the slot 17. Likewise, the knife 23 will prevent the finger 20 from swinging laterally out of the tube 12, through the slot 19. When, therefore, the articles 22 and 23 are positioned within the tube 12, as shown in Fig. 4, the fingers 18 and 20 will be maintained within the tube 12, and consequently the receptacles 2 and 3 will be maintained in alinement with the receptacle 1 and with the top 4. The several articles 23, 22 and 2 1 may, of course, be placed within the receptacle or tube 12, and be removed therefrom, by manipulating the closure cap 16 wlgich is mounted upon the upper end of the tu e.

Secured to the top 4 is a tank 25, adapted to contain a liquid, the closure cap for the tank 25 taking the form of a drinking cup 26. Fixed to the tank 25, or secured to any other desired portion of the dinner pail, is a bail 27.

As will be understood readily, by removing the articles 22 and 23, the intermediate receptacles 2 and 3, may be swung laterally, thus giving access to these receptacles and to the lower receptacle 1.

\Vhen it is desired to separate the several constituent port-ions of the dinner pail, for cleaning or the like, the wing nut 10 may be removed, together with the set screw 15, whereupon the top 4:, and the receptacles 2 and 3 may be lifted off the rod 6 and 01f the tube 12.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed is 1. A dinner pail comprising upper and lower members; an element connecting the members adjacent one end; a tube connecting the other ends of the members; a receptacle mounted for swinging movement upon said element, the receptacle having a finger arranged to engage the tube to maintain the receptacle alined with the upper and lower members, the finger entering terminally into the tube.

,2. A dinner pail comprising upper and lower members; an element connecting the upper and lower members at one end; a tube connecting the upper and lower members at the other end; intermediate receptacles mounted for swinging movement upon said element; the intermediate receptacles having fingers adapted to enter openings in the opposite sides of the tube, whereby, when an article is inserted between the wall of the tube, and one finger, such article will prevent a withdrawal of the other finger from the tube.

3. A dinner pail comprising upper and lower members; an element connecting the upper and lower members at one end; a tube connecting the upper and lower members at the other end; intermediate receptacles mounted for swinging movement upon said element; the intermediate receptacles having fingers adapted to engage the tube, to maintain the receptacles and said members in alinement, the fingers entering openings in the opposite sides of the tube, whereby, when an article is, inserted between the wall of the tube and one finger, such article will prevent a withdrawal of the other finger from the tube, and prevent a lateral swinging of the receptacles.

4. A dinner pail comprising a lower receptacle; an intermediate receptacle; a rod secured to the lower receptacle; a bearing upon the intermediate receptacle adapted to receive the rod; a top mounted to swing upon the rod; means upon the rod to engage the top; a tube secured to the lower receptacle and protruding through an opening in the top; removable means for holding the top and the tube together; and a finger upon the intermediate receptacle adapted to engage the tube to maintain the intermediate receptacle alined with the top and with the lower receptacle.

5. A dinner pail comprising a lower receptacle; an intermediate receptacle; a rod secured to the lower receptacle; a bearing upon the intermediate receptacle adapted to receive the rod; a top mounted to swing upon the rod; means upon the rod to engage the top; a tube secured to the lower receptacle and protruding through an opening in the top; a movable means for holding the top and the tube together; and a finger upon the intermediate receptacle; adapted to enter an opening in the tube, the finger engaging the tube to maintain the intermediate receptacle alined with the top and with the lower receptacle.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH B. TU'ITLE.

Witnesses:

R. A. BRADHAM, H. P. MOSES.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

